Other Details

Age Range

3 years
to
11 years

Facilities

Disabled Facilities

Visual aids

Local Offer

Description

Firs Hill Community Primary School is a larger than average Mainstream Primary School catering for children between the ages of 3 and 11 years. The majority of pupils speak English as an additional language.

Please state the number of pupils on your roll and your average class size

Number of children on roll: 450 Average class size:32

How does the setting identify learners with SEN?

Nursery admissions procedures – Prior to nursery admission each child is visited at home by an experienced member of teaching staff. At this meeting a detailed background history is taken which includes previous education, medical and family information. If SEND issues are raised, the SENCo is informed immediately and will begin to gather specific SEND details either through a further home visit or liaison with relevant external agencies.

Pupils new to the school- Parents and pupils are invited to attend an induction meeting with the Head Teacher where details of prior education and assessments are collected prior to admission. If identified, SEND needs are discussed and information about current specialist involvement and required support strategies are gathered.

Children on roll – Progress and attainment is vigorously monitored through pupil progress meetings which are held each half term. Where children are struggling to make expected progress a referral to the SENCo may be triggered. Parents are then invited to a structured conversation meeting to discuss specific areas of need and appropriate provision. Parents, and wherever possible pupils, are encouraged to take an active role in deciding what additional support is required and whether this can be met in school or referral for external agency support is required.

The school works closely with a number of external professionals who may also carry out assessment of need. These include Speech and Language, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Learning Support, Educational Psychology, Autism Consultant, Ryegate Children’s Centre and private providers such as Steps4ward.

For newly arrived children to the country a maximum period of two terms will be used to monitor progress against expectations.

Is your setting physically accessible to all learners?

The school site is comprised of five buildings which are situated on a moderate slope.

KS1 is a split level building, the majority of which is wheelchair accessible. KS2 building has two floors and has no wheelchair access. There are three disabled toilets, one of which has shower facilities.

There have been some adaptations to classrooms and the main hall in KS1 to accommodate children with visual impairment. Steps and stairs are also edged with yellow lines. The school works closely with specialist from both the visual and hearing impairment teams, making adaptations to the environment as and when required. All classrooms are carpeted to reduce excessive background noise.

Visual timetables are used in every classroom. Rebus symbols are also used for labelling and for signs around school.

Communicate in Print is routinely used to support SEND learners in the classroom. Children also have access to other specialist equipment such as Alphasmarts, writing slopes and moulded seat cushions. In some instance equipment is also loaned from Local Authority specialist teams.

The school site is surrounded by a high stone wall and fencing. As Firs Hill is a community school, sharing facilities with adult learners, the site is not secure but entrance gates are supervised during play and lunch times.

The school has no formal quiet space but there are rooms and break out areas for children to access if required.

The dining room is situated in the KS2 building and supervised at all times. Though there is no identified separate area for children to eat if they cannot cope in a noisy dining room, every effort will be made to ensure that the child can have their lunch at the quietest time.

How does your setting adapt the curriculum for learners with SEND?

All SEN pupils have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is put together in consultation between the SENCo, class teacher, parent/carer and where appropriate the child. Where children have external agency involvement, their input will also be sought. IEPs are reviewed termly and adapted as and when necessary.

All teaching is planned, differentiated and monitored for effectiveness as part of quality first teaching.

All pupils with SEN have targets and identified strategies which will help them to overcome barriers to learning and reach their full potential. As well as personalised classroom learning, pupils may also receive 1-1 support, small group and targeted interventions. Information about the child’s needs is shared with all staff who adopt a flexible and inclusive approach to ensure the child can fully access learning opportunities.

The school offers a number of additional interventions to learners with SEND, These include Theraplay, Positive Play, Speech and Language programmes such as LEAP, VIP and NIP, 1stclass@number, Numbers Count, Rainbow Readers, Write Dance etc. We also employ a Cognitive Behavioural Specialist and Autism Consultant. Children with additional complex needs may also be identified to receive Nurture Provision. Additionally children are offered the opportunity to participate in curricular enhancement activities such as music lessons, swimming, chess and a number of sports clubs facilitated by external trainers.

What training have your staff received to support learners with SEND?

A SEND staff meeting is held at least half termly to look at specific areas of need and/or developments in legislation. These are facilitated by either the SENCo or specialists from external agencies.

Staff members new to the school have an induction meeting with the inclusion manager to discuss SEND issues and procedures. Supply teachers are provided with the names of the SEN pupils in the class they will be teaching, along with a brief outline of the specific area of need. All classes have a teaching assistant who can provide more detailed information if required. The SENCo has no class responsibility and is therefore available at all times to communicate with staff, peripatetic teachers, other specialists and families.

The school has access to Educational Psychology Service, School 2 School Support Service, MAST, CAMHS, Early Years Inclusion Service, Service for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children & service for Visually Impaired Children, Ryegate Children’s Centre, Collins-Donnelly Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, ASD Consultant.

There are 3 staff members trained in the administration of medicines.

How do you communicate with and involve families?

Parents are actively encouraged to participate in school activities. Once a week in each key stage there is an open door session when parents are invited in to work alongside their child in the classroom. Staff are available at the beginning and end of the school day to exchange information or discuss issues and concerns. Parents’ days are held termly and school reports are sent out at the end of each term. Communication with parents may also be by letter, phone or text, as well as more formal face to face meetings.

Structured Conversations are held termly with parents of SEN pupils to review progress and set targets for future learning.

As part of the Fir Vale family of school, information events relating to SEN have been arranged for parents of SEN pupils across all of the schools.

The school does not presently have a SEN group for parents but this is something we are keen to develop in the future.

The school employs a number of bi-lingual staff who are available to translate for families whose first language is not English. In some instances an external interpreter may also be employed.

How does the setting evaluate the effectiveness of its provision for learners with SEN and how often does it do this?

Whole school assessment weeks are held half termly. Teachers then analyse data and set/review individual targets in pupil progress meetings which again are held half termly.

For SEN pupils additional assessment tools such as B-Squared are used to track progress and inform targets.

The SENCo updates progress on the provision map each half term and identifies additional or alternative provision as required.

Termly Structured Conversations with parents also evaluate the effectiveness of provision for individual learners and inform the content of IEPs.

The school participates in moderated SEN audits across the Family of Schools and seeks advice and challenge from external agencies.

What support do you provide for the learners' overall wellbeing?

As a school we put the emotional and social wellbeing of our pupils at the core of our practice. Staff know the children well and are sensitive to their individual needs.

Weekly PSHE sessions help children and young people develop fully as individuals and as members of families and the local community. The goal is to equip young people with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthily, safely, productively and responsibly.

Some children may need more social or emotional support and may be identified to take part in additional interventions such as Theraplay, Steps4ward, Positive Play or Nurture Provision.

The school also has staff who undertake family advocacy and learning mentor roles.

The school is highly diverse and fully inclusive. Children are taught to value and respect each other and their differences.

For pupils who struggle to make friends the school has a buddy system or they may be offered 1-1 support or friendship group participation. Children may also be targeted to take part in group/club activities during non-teaching time.

During unstructured time, such as lunch/playtime, vulnerable children may be identified to receive nurture group support from trained staff or participate in a number of enrichment activities. The school also has a system of playground friends. These are pupils who have volunteered to ‘work’ in the playground, helping other children with playing games and making friends.

1-1 support, nurture provision, specialist therapeutic support and joint working with the family may be used to support learners for whom school is a cause of anxiety.

The school is part of a family of six primary schools and one secondary school that all work together in supporting the increasingly diverse needs of the children. School staff work in close partnership with external agencies and the local Family of Schools to remove barriers to learning. We participate in moderated SEN audits across the Family of Schools.

What kind of behavioural interventions do you use?

All staff members are aware of and follow the school’s behaviour policy. (see school website for details).

Children are encouraged to reflect on their actions and what they could do better next time. This is supported by the staff who may offer 1-1 support and drop in sessions.

For children whose behaviour is becoming of increasing concern, parents are invited in to speak to members of the leadership team. Together with the child, a behaviour report will be drafted. This is completed by teaching staff and shared with parents at the end of each school day.

In some cases it is necessary to remove children from the classroom if behaviour begins to affect the learning of others. In order to avoid exclusion the child works independently in internal exclusion.

The school has an attendance officer who monitors attendance and will make a home visit if no valid reason for absence has been given to the school.

There are a number of key staff who are Team Teach trained.

For children who exhibit extreme behaviour the key is communication with parents. Pastoral support plans are put in place and reviewed regularly. In some cases multi-agency support may be requested from MAST or other specialist services.

How do you ensure learners with SEND are included in non-classroom based activities?

Learners with SEND have equal access to all activities, including enhancement activities such as music lessons, sports clubs and residential visits.

Parents are informed by text, letter or phone of upcoming activities and trips. There is also a regular newsletter out lining the school calendar, as well as the school website. Parents are actively encouraged to join their children on school trips.

Do you offer Breakfast Clubs, After School Clubs or Holiday Clubs? Please specify.

We offer Breakfast, After School and Holiday Clubs.

How do you consult with and involve learners in their education?

The school has a well-established school council whose members are elected by their peers. This meets regularly to discuss issues that are high on the children’s agenda. It also suggests and plans fund raising events which are often linked to global matters.

Pupils views on school issues such as bullying, behaviour, e-safety etc. are gather using pupil questionnaires annually.

Each class has a class blog which is regularly updated and where children are encouraged to comment on class topics and activities.

SEND learners contribute to Structured Conversations wherever possible and their views help to inform IEP targets and interventions

How do you prepare learners with SEND to progress to, from and within your setting?

Prior to admission all pupils and their families will be given the opportunity to look around the school and where possible meet their class teacher. Parents and children will also be invited to a meeting with the Head Teacher and SENCo to discuss and consider suitability of provision, enabling them to make an informed decision about whether the school can meet their child’s needs.

SEND information is gathered by the SENCo from parents, pre-schools, previous schools and external agencies to ensure that support strategies and interventions are in place and the child’s needs are being met. In some cases this may mean adaptations to the environment or organising specialist support staff.

Transition days are organised as children move through school and across key stages. For some SEND pupils additional transition is arranged; facilitated by SEND staff. Pupils are given a transition booklet with pictures of key staff, learning areas, recreational areas and details of daily routines.

Current class teachers meet with the receiving class teacher to discuss and exchange SEND information. Specialist resources are also exchanged.

The school has excellent links with local secondary schools and transition from Year 6 usually begins in the first half of the summer term. This comprises of visits to the receiving school and secondary staff meeting children on our site. Additional visits are organised for some SEND pupils and accompanied by social story work.

At the final Structured Conversation transition needs are discussed. There is then a meeting between SENCos from both schools where details of specific SEND requirements are exchanged.

Every care is taken to ensure that positive friendship and support networks remain in place as SEND learners move through key stages. In some cases however it may be necessary to mix classes, this is rare and only done if it is deemed to be in pupils’ best interests.

Most of our SEND learners move straight to mainstream secondary schools. There have been occasions when pupils have needed additional support and moved to secondary schools with integrated units.

Do you have an online prospectus? Are there open days for families and learners?

The school website has comprehensive details about the school, its policies and procedures and is regularly updated.

Firs Hill is a community school and actively encourages parental involvement. We hold a number of parental workshops designed to help parents take an active role in their children’s learning. There is a meet the teacher session at the beginning of each academic year and a weekly open door session where parents can work alongside their children in the classroom.

Do you offer outreach to home educating families?

The school does not offer outreach to home educating families though we do have some children who receive shared education and who have full access to school facilities and activities.

Does your setting offer any additional services for learners with SEND?

As an inclusive school SEND learners have full access to all services, training and enrichment programmes both in school and the local community.

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